Future of clients (rss, mail, etc.) question ..

OK so today at work, I was talking to a co-worker about how much I like using clients like Vienna for RSS, Mail.app for email, etc. I thought that I was just going to have a nice conversation, but, instead, he scolds me and tells me that I am being stubborn for using clients because browser based apps is the future. I told him it was just personal preference and that there will always be an option for people to choose between clients or web-based.

Being a disagreeable person, he retaliated and said that I am being stubborn and backwards for using clients and that storing email, pictures, and news feeds on my computer is stupid because google is going to give everyone 5TB of memory at their disposal. Me, being the non-argumentative type, just replied by saying that I like using clients because that is what I am used to ... and he being an argumentative type, childishly had to get in the last word and once again repeated that I am being backwards for using clients because web-based everything is the future.

Not only that, he also had to throw in the fact that I sold some of my google stock 6 months ago and claimed that I was being bitter against google because their stock has done so well since then .... you know these type of people in the workplace ... always have to argue about everything

What do you guys and gals think .... am I being backward or stubborn? Do you think that we must conform to web-based everything? Do you think there will always be a choice?

Most of this is about email, but may apply to other services....

A desktop client...

1. Can integrate with Spotlight
2. Can cache items for when a network connection is unavailable
3. Can stay running in the background without timing out, and notify you with a dock bounce as soon as something happens
4. Supports drag-and-drop attachments, etc. from the Finder or other applications
5. Can integrate with other applications (For example, sharing pictures from iPhoto or videos from iMovie through Mail)
6. Is AppleScriptable
7. Doesn't require you to turn your private data over to a company that may change its terms of service (or get bought out) and sell it later
8. Won't (usually) show ads
9. Answers mailto: links

I believe that your co-work is mistaken. The browser use to be the killer app., but no move. I believe there is a time use for every application. Where as web based apps are useful, so are client based as you have stated. Also as technologist has stated. I like keeping my data private.